


Pillow Talk

by glittertech



Category: The Book of Mormon - Parker/Stone/Lopez
Genre: Developing Relationship, Gen, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Unbeta'd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 11:59:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15509406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glittertech/pseuds/glittertech
Summary: Kevin and Arnold have a conversation before bed.





	Pillow Talk

“Do you know why I prayed for you, Elder Price? Back at the MTC?”

The way Arnold words the question makes Kevin’s stomach swoop down low. His heart tumbles in his chest and he’s completely forgotten what he was doing before Arnold spoke. 

The first time Arnold said so, it had meant nothing to Kevin. Arnold was just an irritating, overbearing companion whose prayer was answered when Kevin’s wasn’t. But they’re closer now. 

No one’s ever prayed to be with him before. Not that Kevin knows of, at least. No one’s ever wanted him enough to ask the Lord for him and then got him, told him about it. It leaves him feeling… Uncomfortable? Embarrassed? Flattered? He doesn’t know. Kevin takes a moment to collect himself enough to reply.

“No, I don’t think you ever told me.” Strangely, Arnold closes his eyes and grins when he hears that.

“Do you know how sometimes, people will pretend to smile and listen and care when you talk to them when they really wish they could be anywhere else doing anything else?” Arnold’s laying back on his bed, with his eyes still closed and his hands tucked behind his head. He looks relaxed, at odds with the tension-filled words he’s saying. 

Kevin nods even though he isn’t sure he knows what Arnold means. He also makes a vague noise of understanding when he remembers Arnold isn’t looking at him. 

“Well, you did that. Everyone in my ward did that. Everyone at the MTC did that. I think it’s just how Mormons are.”

Kevin opens his mouth to speak– to apologize, something– but Arnold cuts him off.

“They also try to make nice with everyone. Sometimes that means they’re friendly to your face and talk about you as soon as you turn your back.” 

Kevin winces because he definitely knows how that is. He’s seen it in cafeterias and hallways and classrooms and done nothing to stop it.

“But you never did that. You still smiled and pretended when I asked you a question or tried to talk to you. But after that, you didn’t say anything to your friends. You brushed them off when they tried to get you to,” Arnold says. He’s making some really strong eye contact with Kevin now; eye contact that makes Kevin feel warm and sweaty.

Kevin doesn’t say that he can’t remember speaking with Arnold. He doesn’t say that he refrained from that sort of behavior only to preserve his reputation. He doesn’t say that he said nothing but probably thought nastier things than anyone else had. The only thing he does say is, “They weren’t my friends. I mean, I knew some of them from school, but they were mostly… admirers. I didn’t know much about them. We weren’t really friends.” 

“Huh, I never thought about it that way,” Arnold says.

“I mean it when I say you’re my best friend. I’ve had friends before, but I’ve never met someone like you.”

Contrary to what Kevin is expecting, Arnold only blushes and hums a quiet, wordless response. Kevin suddenly has to do something. Anything. He stands up and his shirt flutters to the floor because– right, because he’d been undressing for bed when Arnold started talking. The both of them stare at the crumpled fabric laying across Kevin’s feet until he kicks it up onto his bed. He takes that one step closer to Arnold’s bed. 

He’s staring down at Arnold, who has one leg propped up and is resting an ankle across his bent knee. His hands are still behind his head and he’s blinking slowly, his eyelashes brushing his glasses. 

“Do you–, can we…?” Kevin asks uselessly. He gives up on using his words, clears his throat, and holds his arms out. 

Arnold’s eyes light up and he jumps up to stand on his bed. “Oh, you want a hug! Yeah, sure thing!” 

He pulls Kevin in immediately. Kevin is rarely in the position to be the shorter one in a hug. It is usually him resting his chin on the crown of someone else’s skull. It is usually his chest that someone could feel the warmth of, hear his heartbeat through. But Arnold is artificially tall now and he’s tapping his fingertips along Kevin’s shoulder blades.

When he pulls back, his cheeks are a darker pink and Kevin’s hair is messy.

“You know, you can ask for hugs whenever you want to. I’m always up for hugs! Or you don’t even have to ask. Just do what you did because hugs are great, you know? Free hugs!” Hearing Arnold babble like his usual self settles a part of Kevin that felt unmoored by their serious conversation. 

“I don’t know if I will, but the same goes for you. Free hugs,” Kevin says, wiggling his fingers for emphasis. Arnold laughs delightedly and drops back down onto his bed, making it creak loudly.

Kevin falls back onto _his_ own bed, forgetting his shirt is there and sitting on it. They’re still smiling widely and goofily at each other. 

It’s Arnold who says, “We’d better get to sleep, don’t you think?” 

Kevin nods and gets up to undress the rest of the way. He doesn’t think about the fact that Arnold is watching him. He feels like he’s moving slower and he doesn’t know why. When he’s back in bed, they trade goodnights. Arnold turns off their light.

Kevin lays awake for a bit. Perhaps things felt different because Arnold had been so uncharacteristically serious. Perhaps his confession had brought them closer together as friends.

Or perhaps the notion of being wanted by Arnold, in any capacity, has lit a spark in Kevin.

**Author's Note:**

> ooh, my first Pricingham. but certainly not my last. Let me know what you think. Constructive criticism welcome.


End file.
